German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has publicly stated that Ukraine’s drone attacks on Moscow are „in accordance with international law” and a legitimate defense as the country was first attacked by Russia.
Over the past several months, Ukraine has increasingly acknowledged responsibility for drone attacks on Moscow buildings and the Kerch Bridge to Crimea, despite reports of unspoken instructions from the US urging Ukraine to refrain from escalating its defense into Russian territory.
Earlier this month, Ukraine officially claimed responsibility for an October 2022 attack on the Crimean Bridge, a key transport link from Russia to the Crimean peninsula.
In a speech to the Aspen Security Forum last July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the bridge as a legitimate military target as „this is the route used to feed the war with ammunition” on „a daily basis” resulting in the militarization of the Crimean peninsula.
Today is day 546 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Source: Polskie Radio, EurActive.com
Polish President Andrzej Duda met with his Portuguese counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa yesterday in Warsaw to discuss Polish-Portuguese economic ties, support for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against Russia, and the threat posed by the situation in Belarus.
At a joint news conference afterward, Duda described Portugal as one of Poland’s „most important partners and allies both in the European Union and NATO,” a „core theme” of yesterday’s talks.
In addition to the current situation in Ukraine, Duda told reporters the two leaders discussed „the situation of war refugees” in Poland and „the situation at the Belarusian border” along with the presence of Russia’s Wagner mercenaries in Belarus.
During Tuesday’s meeting at the presidential palace, Duda decorated Rebelo de Sousa with Poland’s Order of the White Eagle „for excellent services to the deepening of cooperation between Poland and Portugal,” officials said.
In return, the Portuguese president awarded Duda Portugal’s special distinction of the Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry.
Source: Polskie Radio
Health officials in several countries have detected a new strain of coronavirus, with six infections recorded so far, in Israel, Britain, Denmark, and the United States.
The highly mutated BA.2.86 variant, nicknamed „Pirola,” was first identified in Israel and London on August 13, according to the Polish Press Agency (PAP). Shortly afterward, Pirola cases were identified in Denmark and the United States, bringing the total number of cases to six.
The cases recorded so far originate in many countries and individuals with no recent travel history, indicating to researchers that Pirola has emerged recently and is spreading fast, health officials have said.
Francois Balloux, a professor of computational systems biology at University College London, described the new strain as „the most striking SARS-CoV-2 strain the world has witnessed since the emergence of Omicron.”
Reassuringly, Balloux went on to predict that „even in the worst case scenario where BA.2.86 caused a major new wave of cases,” it is unlikely to result in „comparable levels of severe disease and death” seen during the spread of previous Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants.
According to Balloux, most people on Earth are now immune to COVID-19, having been „vaccinated and/or infected by the virus.”
Source: Polskie Radio
A 10-year-old musician from Poland has earned a chance to perform at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City after being discovered in an international competition for young artists.
Kacper Dąbrowski, who hails from a small village near Olsztyn, is among the winners of this year’s New York Golden Classical Music Awards, a competition that aims to discover outstanding young musicians and help them in their careers.
According to music critics, Kacper’s success is particularly notable as he plays the saxophone, an instrument that is rarely studied at such an early age. Music teacher Kamil Wiącek said he initially had serious doubts about whether Kacper, a small boy, would be able to cope with the sizable instrument, but it reportedly „suited him fine.”
Kacper is set to travel to New York with one of his parents, his music teacher, and an accompanist. The boy’s family is currently collecting support through an online fundraising platform to help cover the costs of the trip.
Source: Polskie Radio
Weather
Today will be a mix of sun and clouds, with very little chance of rain and a gentle breeze coming from the north. Temperatures will remain pleasantly warm throughout the day, with an afternoon high of 24°C or 75°F, dropping to a low of 14°C or 58°F overnight. Similar weather is expected tomorrow, with an increasing chance of rain later in the week.
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Elizabeth Peck/vn
